Spain and Ireland: "EU Must Recognize Palestine as a State"

Reaffirming Alliance Commitment at Bilateral Prime Ministers' Meeting
Plan to Officially Submit Agenda at Next Week's EU Summit

Spain and Ireland, which have expressed their intention to recognize Palestine as a state, have reaffirmed their alliance commitment to this cause.

On the 12th (local time), the British daily The Guardian reported that Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez and newly appointed Irish Prime Minister Simon Harris held talks in Dublin, Ireland, pledging to secure international support for a solution to the Israel-Palestine issue.

At a joint press conference, Prime Minister Harris said, "The day to recognize Palestine as a state is much closer." He added that when the appropriate time comes, they would take action along with Spain and other countries, though he did not mention the names of these countries or any specific schedule.

Pedro Sanchez, Prime Minister of Spain
Photo by Yonhap News

He continued, "Both the Israeli people and the Palestinian people deserve a safe and peaceful future," adding, "In regions where all people with faith and traditions live together peacefully, equal sovereignty and respect are necessary."

Prime Minister Sanchez referred to the Gaza Strip and the war in Ukraine, saying, "It is unacceptable to wait until others take the lead."

He also emphasized, "The path is made by walking, and we must create the path with the hope that others will do the same." This expressed his expectation that if they recognize Palestine as a state, other countries would follow suit.

Before visiting Ireland, Sanchez also visited Norway to discuss the Palestine issue with Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Støre. At that meeting, Prime Minister Støre also said he was ready to recognize Palestine as a state but added, "The issue is the timing and context."

Simon Harris, Prime Minister of Ireland
Photo by Yonhap News

Since the war began in the Gaza Strip in October last year, Sanchez has consistently argued that the international community should recognize Palestine as a state. In November last year, he visited the Gaza border area in Egypt and stated, "The European Union (EU) must recognize the establishment of the Palestinian state," and added, "Spain could do so alone if necessary," which led to conflicts with Israel.

Ireland is also considered one of Palestine’s strongest allies within Europe. According to a public opinion survey conducted by the human rights organization Amnesty International (AI) in January, 71% of Irish citizens perceive Palestinians as living under an apartheid regime.

Meanwhile, Prime Ministers Harris and Sanchez plan to raise the issue of recognizing Palestine as a state at the upcoming European Union (EU) summit next week.